Outside the Fence
by Punzie the Platypus
Summary: Gale takes Madge out hunting for her first time. After she stops thinking of how they might get caught by Peacekeepers, she starts to enjoy herself. Gale doesn't seem to be enjoying himself as much as she does though, and she wants to know why. Gadge!


**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games and Phineas and Ferb are practically the only thing I've been writing lately and I regret nothing. This is dedicated to my sister, who wanted a subtly fluffy one-shot between any couple. HE HE HE HE HE. **

Madge looked cautiously behind her. She looked around a bit worriedly. There was bound to be Peacekeepers around here. They were everywhere around here now since Thread came along.

She turned back after seeing no one to Gale, who was listening carefully for the hum of the gate. In his hands was a hunting bag and on his face was a very determined expression.

"Gale, let's go back, it's too dangerous, they could come at any minute," Madge whispered hurriedly. She glanced back and saw no one.

"They're not going to be here," Gale said coldly. His dark hair made him look even more grim and serious than it would have in the sun. It was early morning, and the two were out in the meadow. The clouds gave a low rumble, making Madge tense and she made her hands grip into fists. It was bound to rain.

"Gale," she hissed.

"Shush, Madge, I'm listening," he whispered back, leaning closer.

They were counting on the fact that since it was the second day of the 75th Hunger Games that everyone would be inside or in the square watching it. Madge had held her breath a lot yesterday, and felt perfectly miserable going to bed. The water filled with blood was hard to take out of one's mind.

She looked back behind them, letting out a breath through her teeth. She turned back to Gale and ran a nervous hand through her blonde hair. It was really weird that Gale asked her to go with the woods with him. They barely talked to one another and when they did, it was either small business talk or sarcastic remarks to each other.

"Gale, we'd better just be careful and not go," she whispered fiercely. The clouds let out a loud rumble, giving the entire morning an ominous, dangerous feeling.

"You don't have to come if you don't want to," he replied. He straightened and bent and grabbed a few grass blades. He carefully let them float out of his hands and fall on the fence. Madge crossed her arms and watched to see if the grass shriveled and died.

It did nothing.

"It's not on," he said, a very little bit excited. He started to tug on the fence unabashed and said, "C'mon, help me out."

"Gale, that fence could turn on at any point," Madge pointed out hurriedly.

"So?" he said as he pulled up the spot he and Katniss used to use all the time. It was still loose and he was easily able to bring it back to its small former glory.

Madge watched him worriedly as he slipped under it. He inched his way through until he was on the other side. He made a small laugh as he stood up and turned to face Madge.

"C'mon, let's go," Gale urged her.

"Gale!" Madge said, a bit indignant.

"Madge . . . "

"Gale, what if we get caught?"

Gale scoffed. "We WON'T GET CAUGHT for pete's sake, Madge."

"You did once," Madge said quickly. She might as well say it. It was the only thing that made her worried. She hadn't been worried about going with Gale. He was strong and tough. She had been fine until she had remembered his whipping. What if he got caught again? She could barely take it.

Gale looked back at her with a grim look on his face. After a moment of them staring at each other, he said quietly, "Look, Madge, that was inside the fence. At this point" - he looked out to the woods and sighed before turning back to Madge - "we might as well go out anyway."

Madge nodded and started to go under the fence. Her dark green pants and blue shirt got a bit dirty as she scooted down through the dirt.

"Need any help?" Gale wondered after a moment.

"I'm perfectly fine," Madge said, and with one final push, she managed to scramble out. She stood up and bounced on the heels of her toes slightly. "Alright. I'm ready."

Gale made a small smile and said, "Follow me."

Madge walked behind him, looking all around her. All her life, she lived within the constraints of District 12. She had never left it. Ever. Going just outside the fence, barely a mile, was just an adventure. She felt a little jealous of Gale and Katniss. Just a little. After all, she knew that they did it because they had to. She didn't have to.

She looked at the ground guiltily as they walked and looked at Gale's head to see if he had somehow found out her thoughts. She was met with his back head covered in wavy hair. It was rather dark, and it was fit his stocky physique.

She bit her lip and looked back at the ground, smiling.

They finally came upon the woods. Gale walked in first before turning to Madge, saying, "Well, this is it."

Madge gasped and her hands each found a tree to lean against as she looked out. The trees still had their green leaves, giving it a foresty feel. She could hear a creek's gurgle and squirrels running around on the floor. There was trodden leaves amongst the dirt. She breathed in.

"Wow," she said softly. It smelled so clean and _free_.

Gale smirked softly to himself at her words and folded his arms.

"Want to help me set up snares?" he asked her.

"Um," Madge said, shrugging her shoulders, "if you want me to. I've never set up a snare before."

"I kinda figured that," Gale said, smirking. "C'mon."

Madge smiled and they headed out a few hundred feet before they came upon a little trap. It was set up with pegs and rope and in its clutches was a little writhing rabbit.

Madge looked it at, confused, as she squatted down. Gale untied it as she said, "It's not dead yet."

"Yeah," Gale said, and without looking at Madge or the rabbit, he cracked the rabbit's neck.

"Ugh," Madge gasped as Gale slipped the rabbit into his hunting bag. "That's sick."

"It's necessary, unlike the Games," Gale spat as he began to reassemble his snare.

They continued in this sort of fashion; some of the animals were alive when they came across them but most of them were dead. Gale had to throw away the ones that had been dead for days and stank but kept a couple that had decent enough pelts and didn't stink too much. When they were at the last one Gale asked Madge if she wanted to set up the snare.

"I don't know how," she said quickly.

"I can help you," and with that, he grabbed her soft hands and began to make them set up the snare. Madge's fingers caught on quickly, knotting here, adjusting there.

"Gale," she said, her eyes on their hands, "how come these snares were already set up?"

Gale frowned as he moved her hands gently and said, "I had them set up that day I brought back that turkey."

"You haven't come back since?" Madge said quietly.

"Yeah," he said just as quietly, and they finished with the snare. They were finished, but their hands were still clasped.

After a moment they let go and they looked at each other.

"Are you going to be coming back for these snares?" Madge asked him.

He shrugged and looked at the ground, tracing the dirt with his finger. "I don't know. I mean," he sighed, and looked at out at the woods, "you're right when you say that it's dangerous coming here, but" - he looked to Madge - "it's dangerous in there as well." He grunted and looking at the ground, said, "Not to mention I can't stand the sight of the Peacekeepers in there."

His fingers found a rock and he threw it against the ground.

Madge gazed at him for a moment. She suddenly knew what he meant. She had always thought that he was a little jealous of townspeople and was just a bitter person, but seeing things with him now made things make sense. Why were they all trapped when there was a wondrous world outside the fence? She wrinkled her nose. The Capitol.

"You're right," she heard herself say after a moment.

He looked up from the ground and said bitterly, "You're the first to say that." He stood up and holding out his hand, grunted, "C'mon."

Madge grabbed his wrist and he pulled her up. Their eyes met and they stared at each other for a moment before Gale walked off. Madge sighed a little and followed him.

She hadn't the slightest where they were going, and so was a bit surprised that he just took the two of them to a rock near the creek.

It was a lovely large rock, a boulder really. It was moss covered and full of wrinkles but it was big enough for the two of them.

Gale set his hunting bag on the ground and the two of them sat on the rock. Madge clasped her hands and they both looked at the creek. They watched the flowing water and after a moment Madge said, turning to Gale, "I had a good time. Thanks for bringing me."

Gale shrugged and said, "Glad I could make you happy."

Madge nodded. Looking at the water and trees all around her, she wondered how Katniss and Peeta were doing in their own forest.

"I hope Katniss is doing okay," she said quietly after a moment.

Gale didn't reply. Madge bent her head down and tilted it to look at Gale's face. It was nearly emotionless, tough, except for his glassy eyes.

"Are you okay?" Madge asked quietly. She was now very concerned. She moved some of her hair out of her face to look at him better and asked a little more loudly, "Gale? Are you okay?"

"No," he said. "No, I'm not." He let out a small sniff, trying to disguise it as a cough. Madge knew better, though.

She didn't really know what to say. She said in a quiet voice after a moment, "Can I help you . . . . feel better?"

"I don't see how," he said gruffly. "Things are going to hell."

Madge then decided something right then and there. "Gale, look at me," she said, for he had turned away.

"Why?" he spat.

"Gale," Madge said, and when he didn't respond, she did something that she didn't expect she would do. Without thinking, she gently and hastily grabbed his face with her hands and turned his face toward her.

Her eyes searched his. They were cold and hard and glazed over.

"Gale," she whispered, "everything's going to be okay."

"You can't prove that," he pointed out.

That's when she proved him wrong. By kissing him. It was spontaneous and unplanned and very spur of the moment and neither knew what to do. But it felt so REAL. It only felt more real when after a moment, Gale kissed her back.

It wasn't very passionate. It was sweet, but carried on for a minute or two. When they finally broke apart, they both looked at the ground. Madge gasped quietly to herself at the realization at her boldness.

After a moment, she looked up to see Gale smirking to himself. It wasn't even a smirk, but a very bright smile.

His hand slowly went and found hers, and he clasped her hand. Smiling, Madge clasped his. Things would be okay.

For those couple of hours, they had this world, and now their own secret, not to share with anyone. With everything else being so serious and dangerous, it was nice to have something like this to themselves.

**SISTER, DID YOU LIKE IT? Imagine this happening and then POOF GOES DISTRICT 12 ALONG WITH MADGE. WHY. Anyhoos, I hope you liked reading it and review, please?  
**


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